The Kent motorists caught drink driving so far this year

Kent’s courts are kept busy dealing with drink-drivers every day.

While some motorists are caught out after police spot them weaving across the road – others end their ill-advised journeys with a crash.

Latest government statistics show 1,490 people in the UK were killed or seriously injured in collisions involving drink-drivers in a single year.

Below are some of those in Kent who have been brought to justice after getting behind the wheel while under the influence so far this year…

Drink-driving mum found with cannabis

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A woman who rowed with her husband got into her car and drove while over the legal limit and was found with a small amount of cannabis on her.

Sophie Eastwood, 33, was also child-free on the evening she decided to have a few drinks and get into her Mini Cooper and drive it while over the limit near her home in Tonbridge.

When officers spotted her behind the wheel on November 25 last year in Court Lane, Hadlow, where she lives, they asked her to stop.

She was given a breath test which proved positive, and when officers arrested her on suspicion of drink-driving they also found a small amount of cannabis in her possession.

When she took a breath test, Eastwood gave a reading of 51 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Eastwood was charged with drink-driving and being in possession of a Class B drug, and admitted both offences when she appeared before magistrates in Maidstone on January 3.

Magistrates banned Eastwood from driving for 12 months and fined her £120.

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She was also fined £80 for the cannabis offence and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £80 and £85 costs.

Amazon driver crashed after downing beers

An Amazon delivery driver crashed his van and ended up in a ditch after downing beers on the way home from his rounds.

Radu Vulpe, 34, was at the wheel of his Amazon Mercedes Vito delivery van when he crashed it into a chevron and then a road sign before ending up in the ditch in Station Road, Staplehurst.

When the emergency services arrived, Vulpe was taken to hospital to get checked over and was then given a breath test which proved positive.

Vulpe, of Smugglers, in Hawkhurst, gave a reading of 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He was charged with drink-driving and pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Maidstone on January 3.

Magistrates banned Vulpe from driving for 17 months and fined him £300 and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £85 costs.

Hungry man crashed while on way to McDonald’s

A drink-driver who crashed his car into railings while on his way to McDonald’s after a night out called police to the scene himself.

Jack Dale had earlier been out with friends, getting the train back from the pub and walking from the station to his home in Whitstable.

After arriving home, he felt hungry and decided to jump in his Renault and drive to the nearest McDonald’s, in Chestfield, for food. He said he didn’t want to disturb his sleeping partner by making something to eat.

But while en route, he crashed his car into railings on the A2290 Old Thanet Way, blocking the carriageway.

When officers arrived at the scene, the 28-year-old did a breath test. Dale, of Walmer Road, Whitstable, gave a reading of 55 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, when the legal limit is 35.

He was charged with drink-driving and admitted the offence when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court in January.

District Judge Justin Barron heard Dale had never been in trouble with the law before, and had cooperated with police at the scene on December 9.

Judge Barron said Dale had made a rather serious mistake, adding that he did not expect to see him back before the courts again.

He banned Dale from driving for 14 months, fined him £553 and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £221 and £85 costs.

Football fan pays penalty for World Cup pints

A football fan who downed three-and-a-half pints after staying at a pub to watch a World Cup penalty shoot-out was pulled over by police as he drove home.

Terence Relph was stopped by officers in his Saab 900 in Nargate Street in Littlebourne, near Canterbury, on December 9 after they became concerned about his driving.

The 60-year-old admitted he had been drinking and was asked to do a breath test.

Relph, of The Street, Wickhambreaux, gave a reading of 43 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, when the legal limit is 35.

He was charged with drink-driving and admitted the offence when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on January 11.

Defending himself, Relph said: “I should not have stayed to watch the penalties. I don’t normally drink more than two-and-a-half pints. I’ve had a clean driving licence all my life.”

He was fined £120 for the offence and banned from the road for 12 months. Relph was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48 and £85 costs.

Mum crashed with daughter in car hours after boozy party

A reckless mum crashed her car with her eight-year-old daughter inside after choosing to drive the morning after a boozy Christmas party.

Lauren Sanders, of Deal, was still almost double the legal alcohol limit when she decided to get behind the wheel of her silver VW Golf on the morning of December 10 – mere hours after knocking back drinks at a festive bash.

She the crashed the car into another on the A258 Dover Road, Langdon, near Dover, causing her daughter to burst into tears.

Police were called to the scene, where Sanders, 33, failed a breathalyser test and was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

She was later charged and admitted the offence when she appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court in January.

The court heard Sanders gave a breathalyser reading of 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35.

She was placed on a 12-month community order which will see her complete 15 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

He also banned her from driving for 17 months and ordered she pay a victim surcharge of £114, and £85 costs.

Motorcyclist fell off bike after downing vodka

A drunk motorcyclist fell off his bike after downing vodka and then had difficulty picking it back up.

Kevan Manley was spotted by a member of the public getting on his Honda in Priory Road, Tonbridge.

The witness became concerned he was intoxicated as he had trouble mounting the bike.

They then watched him drive off before he soon tumbled over.

Police were called and Manley, of Quarry Hill Road in the town, was given a breath test.

He returned a reading of 140 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35.

He admitted drink-driving on September 22 when he appeared at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. February 9.

Magistrates jailed him for 12 weeks for the offence, but suspended the term for a year.

He was also banned from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and £85 costs.

KFC worker downed cans before driving

A KFC worker pulled over by police was found to be over the legal drink-drive limit after downing several cans earlier that evening.

Daniel Coman was at the wheel of a Nissan Note in Whitstable Road, Canterbury, on January 22 when he came to the attention of officers on a mobile patrol.

After deciding to stop him, they smelt alcohol on his breath and asked him to do a roadside breath test which he failed and the 42-year-old was arrested.

He was later charged with drink-driving and admitted the offence when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on February 15.

The court heard, Coman, of Long Meadow Way in Hales Place, Canterbury, gave a reading of 51 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The judge banned him from driving for 12 months and fined him £300 and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £85 costs.

Drunk clubber’s shocking driving caught on camera

Shocking CCTV footage showed a drunk clubber driving on pavements in a town centre before hitting a traffic island and losing a hubcap.

Ashmit Limbu was spotted weaving his silver VW Golf around Ashford after stumbling out of a club during the early hours of Saturday, February 18.

Limbu was so intoxicated he could barely drive the vehicle properly, mounting a grass verge to reach another road and almost hitting a shopfront.

Police tracked him down with CCTV footage and saw him driving him on numerous roads in the town centre, including North Street, Edinburgh Road, and New Street.

When the police officer caught up with the criminal later that night he tried to urinate on a lamppost but when he was told not to, he became abusive.

Limbu, of Beecholme Drive, Kennington refused to provide urine for anaylsis but was later charged with driving without due care and attention.

When he appeared in court the charge was amended to dangerous driving and he was also charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis, assault on an emergency worker, and threatening behaviour towards the officer.

He admitted the offences when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on April 13.

District Judge Justin Barron said it was low-level dangerous driving and he decided to adjourn sentencing to get a pre-sentencing report, but he did place him on an interim ban until then.

Roofer over the limit while on e-scooter

An e-scooter rider who crashed on a busy stretch of road while over the drink-drive limit has been left unable to work after suffering “long-term dizziness”.

Roofer David Hayes spent time in hospital after crashing the electric vehicle in Hartley Road, Cranbrook.

But when the 36-year-old was given a blood test while being treated for his injuries he was found to be over the drink-drive limit.

He gave a reading of 118 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of blood – the legal limit is 80.

Hayes, of Hartley Lands, Swattenden Lane, Cranbrook, was later charged with drink-driving and driving without insurance.

He admitted both offences when he appeared before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on April 25.

Magistrates fined Hayes £80 for the drink-driving offence and banned him from the road for three years as it was his second drink-driving offence within 10 years.

Hayes was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £32 and £85 costs.

Woman crashed Land Rover into parked cars

A woman who had a row with her partner while they were out for a meal later crashed her Land Rover into a parked car and was found to be more than three times the legal drink-drive limit.

Another motorist saw chartered accountant Claire McCarthy crash her vehicle into a car which was parked in London Road, Gillingham, in April.

The witness stopped after the smash and police were called. When officers arrived McCarthy was given a breath test and failed it.

The 52-year-old mother-of-two was arrested and given further breath tests at a police station and gave a reading of 106mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

McCarthy, of Rotary Gardens, Gillingham, was later charged with drink driving and pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared before Medway magistrates on May 17.

Defending herself, she admited: “It was reckless and ridiculous and a dreadful mistake.”

Magistrates banned McCarthy from driving for 24 months and placed her on a 12-month community order which will see her complete 120 hours of unpaid work.